Rule 8.3 - BHP BILLITON PLC

FORM 8.3

    DEALINGS BY PERSONS WITH INTERESTS IN SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
              (Rule 8.3 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers)


1.   KEY INFORMATION

Name of person dealing        BARCLAYS PLC
(Note 1)
Company dealt in              BHP BILLITON PLC
Class of relevant security    USD0.50
to which the dealings being
disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing               18 March 2008

2.   INTERESTS, SHORT POSITIONS AND RIGHTS TO SUBSCRIBE

(a)  Interests and short positions (following dealing) in the class of relevant
security dealt in (Note 3)

                            Long                     Short

                      Number       (%)         Number       (%)

(1) Relevant      105,144,702     4.76%      3,609,568     0.16%
securities
(2) Derivatives     3,583,054     0.16%      4,386,846     0.20%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and    1,003,800      0.05%        752,775     0.03%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             109,731,556     4.97%      8,749,189     0.40%

(b)  Interests and short positions in relevant securities of the company, other
     than the class dealt in (Note 3)

Class of                    Long                     Short
relevant
security:

                  Number              (%)   Number              (%)

(1) Relevant
securities

(2) Derivatives
(other than
options)

(3) Options and
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total


  (c)  Rights to subscribe (Note 3)

Class of relevant security:   Details



3.   DEALINGS (Note 4)

  (a)  Purchases and sales

Purchase/sale    Number of Securities    Price per unit
                                         (GBP)
Purchase         1,000,000               14.6500
Purchase         80,000                  14.8423
Purchase         74,000                  14.9572
Purchase         250                     15.0188
Purchase         470                     14.6175
Purchase         275                     14.5975
Purchase         360                     14.8788
Purchase         5,705                   14.6500
Purchase         470                     14.6175
Purchase         15,900                  15.1604
Purchase         389,130                 14.8774
Purchase         100,000                 14.9003
Purchase         100,000                 15.0946
Purchase         128,336                 14.9544
Purchase         37,358                  15.0481
Purchase         9,225                   14.8508
Purchase         30,850                  14.9001
Purchase         275                     14.8775
Purchase         90,529                  14.9404
Purchase         72                      15.0465
Purchase         1,256                   15.1500
Purchase         325                     14.9775
Purchase         21,172                  14.9018
Purchase         46,000                  14.8423
Purchase         216                     14.7183
Purchase         4,554                   14.9434
Purchase         18,320                  14.9528
Purchase         38,998                  14.8982
Purchase         995                     15.1529
Purchase         1,592                   14.8100
Purchase         7,600                   14.6670
Purchase         1,655                   14.7555
Purchase         350                     14.8775
Purchase         79,688                  15.1500
Sale             370                     14.6012
Sale             35,723                  15.0728
Sale             80,000                  14.8423
Sale             19,394                  14.9505
Sale             62,740                  15.1336
Sale             210                     15.0917
Sale             280                     14.6012
Sale             6,340                   14.9191
Sale             37,358                  15.0481
Sale             725                     15.0712
Sale             100,000                 15.0946
Sale             128,336                 14.6934
Sale             2,174                   15.0426
Sale             46,000                  14.8423
Sale             1,000,000               14.6500
Sale             67,000                  15.1500
Sale             1,857                   15.0117
Sale             70                      15.0726
Sale             150                     14.6012
Sale             100,000                 15.0946
Sale             3,546                   15.1500
Sale             100,000                 14.9003
Sale             6,550                   14.8134
Sale             8,000                   14.8472
Sale             465                     14.9912
Sale             76                      14.9317
Sale             360                     14.7125
Sale             1,000                   15.0400
Sale             78                      15.0317
Sale             200                     14.6012
Sale             5,705                   14.6500
Sale             350                     14.9516
Sale             37,358                  15.0481
Sale             218,453                 14.9150
Sale             5,705                   14.8100
Sale             80,000                  14.8423
Sale             172,848                 14.9835
Sale             1,000,000               14.6500
Sale             9,195                   14.8702
Sale             56,265                  15.1081
Sale             275                     14.9812
Sale             46,000                  14.8423
Sale             100                     14.6012
Sale             130                     15.0125
Sale             100,000                 14.9003
Sale             1,015                   14.9705
Sale             500                     14.8712
Sale             11,300                  15.0497
Sale             250                     14.9912
Sale             4,600                   14.9992
Sale             4,300                   14.8904
Sale             89,919                  15.2296

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Short         7600          14.6669
CFD            Short         1655          14.7554
CFD            Short         9225          14.8508
CFD            Short         1013          14.864
CFD            Short         389130        14.8773
CFD            Short         38998         14.8982
CFD            Short         30850         14.9001
CFD            Short         89516         14.9412
CFD            Short         4554          14.9433
CFD            Short         18320         14.9528
CFD            Short         128336        14.9544
CFD            Short         74000         14.9571
CFD            Short         995           15.1528
CFD            Short         15900         15.1603
CFD            Long          128336        14.6933
CFD            Long          6550          14.8133
CFD            Long          126000        14.8422
CFD            Long          8000          14.8471
CFD            Long          9195          14.8702
CFD            Long          183624        14.8709
CFD            Long          10488         14.8798
CFD            Long          4300          14.8904
CFD            Long          100000        14.9002
CFD            Long          218453        14.915
CFD            Long          6340          14.919
CFD            Long          172848        14.9834
CFD            Long          4600          14.9992
CFD            Long          2174          15.0426
CFD            Long          37358         15.0481
CFD            Long          11300         15.0497
CFD            Long          35723         15.0727
CFD            Long          100000        15.0946
CFD            Long          56265         15.108
CFD            Long          52252         15.1845
CFD            Long          89919         15.2296

(i)  Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Product name,   Writing,          Number of         Exercise  Type, e.g.      Expiry      Option money
e.g. call       selling,          securities to     price     American,       date        paid/received
option          purchasing,       which the option            European etc.               per unit (GBP)
                varying etc.      relates (GBP)


(ii) Exercising

Product name, e.g.  Number of           Exercise price per
call option         securities          unit (Note 5)




(d)  Other dealings (including new securities) (Note 4)


Nature of transaction Details           Price per unit
(Note 8)                                (if applicable)
                                        (Note 5)




4.   OTHER INFORMATION
Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives


Full details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the
person disclosing and any other person relating to the voting rights of
any relevant securities under any option referred to on this form or
relating to the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any
relevant securities to which any derivative referred to on this form is
referenced.  If none, this should be stated.


None

Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9)                 YES


Date of disclosure                         19 March 2008
Contact name                               Geoff Smith
Telephone number                           020 7116 2913
If a connected EFM, name of
offeree/offeror with which connected
If a connected EFM, state nature of
connection (Note 10)


Notes

The Notes on Form 8.3 can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk

SUPPLEMENTAL FORM 8

DETAILS OF OPEN POSITIONS
(This form should be attached to Form 8.1, Form 8.1(b)(ii) or Form 8.3, as appropriate)

OPEN POSITIONS (Note 1)
Product name,     Written or  Number of securities   Exercise price   Type, e.g.     Expiry date
e.g. call option  purchased   to which the option    (Note 2)         American,
                              or derivative relates                   European etc.
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -250,000               16.0000          AMER           19/09/2008
Option            Purchased   -1,775                 1,600.0000       EURO           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   -500                   950.0000         EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   150                    1,500.0000       EURO           20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   -500,000               9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,700.0000       EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   500,000                9.5000           EURO           19/12/2008
Option            Purchased   350                    1,450.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500                    1,900.0000       EURO           18/12/2009
Option            Purchased   500                    1,650.0000       EURO           20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   700                    1,400.0000       EURO           20/03/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000          AMER           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   250,000                14.0000          AMER           20/06/2008
Option            Purchased   250                    1,500.0000       EURO           18/12/2009

Notes
1. Where there are open option positions or open derivative positions (except for CFDs), full details should be given.
Full details of any  existing agreements to purchase or to sell  should also be given on this form.

2. For all prices and other monetary amounts, the currency must be stated.

For details of the Code's dealing disclosure requirements, see Rule 8 and its Notes which can be viewed on the Takeover
Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk